valuevillage.ca Reviews 50

I was shopping at the Value Village location on Merivale in Ottawa on July 8, 2025. I filled 2 bags of baby/toddler clothes for $12.99 each that were just put out from the wire bins. All clothes were size newborn to size 3, and did not include outerwear or dresses, that I was told were excluded. At the cash, an employee dumped the bags and went through all the pieces 1 by 1. She removed approximately 10 items for no good reason. Saying they should have been priced individually. 1 item was a pair of Sears pink corduroy overalls in an infant size. Another item was a Polo Ralph Lauren shirt size 2. All this happened after waiting in a lineup of over 30 people and a shortage of staff. I should have left it all. I'm reporting this to the Better Business Bureau. Staff are just making up random reasons why baby clothes cannot be in the bag. I don't plan to shop here again.

You know what bothers me about Value Village in Ontario..Well, at least in Sault Ste Marie anyways? The fact that everything they have on their shelves or hanging up on a rack is donated to them. So, in other words, free.
I'm not sure who's in charge of pricing the items or if those orders come from the top management CEO's, however somebody needs to remind these people that nothing in that store is brand new EXCEPT for socks and underware. So, whoever's in charge of putting the price tag on most of the clothing items now is completely out of their damn mind!
Value Village is literally ripping people off now. I was in there last week for the first time in about 5-months, and was SHOCKED at some of the prices I seen. I suppose the high price tags aren't unlike all the retail establishments in this godforsaken country it seems; but that coming from a store where everything is, in FACT, 2nd hand.. or in other words, "Someone elses TRASH" at one point in time, makes absolutely no sense to me.
A price tag of $24.99 for a used pair of women's leggings is completely outrageous, and I don't care what physical condition they're in or what logo/name brand they come from; they are SECOND HAND and the price tag should reflect that fact. Shame on them!!
I refuse to even pay that much for brand new leggings at Walmart, much less, a used pair.
Do better Value Village or close your doors!

Since they removed the change rooms, I was told I could get store credit or exchange within 14 days if the clothes don't fit when I try them on at home, but no refund. That's fine. Now I hear when I go back, they'll make me use that credit up right away? Their clothes don't turn over much in 14 days, so I won't have anything to exchange for. I guess I'll see.

Also, no cashiers anymore. Just self checkout. I use a cane and am disabled and I was struggling with cashing myself out. The clerk saw me and walked by several times, not even asking if I needed help. Then I mumbled to myself "this is why I hate self checkouts, they're not disabled person friendly". The clerk obviously heard me and said very snarky "I can't read your mind, do you want help?" I just declined and said I'd get through it and then my cane fell and she just walked away leaving the cane on the floor and then watched me struggle to pick it up. I wish I got her name, but I just wanted to leave at that point.

After I get my exchanges done, I will never shop there again. Maybe I'll try another location. This was the Queenston Rd, Stoney Creek location.

The amount of racism from this store is just sad. I feel sorry for that one girl that had to experience that sort of thing if she was attempting to steal anything and from the looks of the video I saw she wasn't all ya have to do is 1.) Ask the customer to leave nicely and not to return to the store and 2.) Never make racist comments towards said customer.

Welland store - I don't know if she was a front end manager or supervisor but just completely rude and disrespectful to my self for answering a question asked by a staff member. She is an older lady was dressed all in brown. If she's this disrespectful to a customer probably doesn't treat staff very well either. STOP asking if it's cash or card. You almost always refuse to open a cash register if it is cash. So clearly if it's self check out its card. We are not stupid so please do not treat us as such. And if it's self check out STOP coming from behind and grabbing our stuff and scanning it (it's self check out) If you want to do cash then open a cash register. Trust me most of us would rather go through a cashier rather then self check out but this store has refused to open and get a cashier for my mother. Also almost always never any one at the jewelry counter have had to wait and been refused to get something from there as they didn't want to open it. These Valu village stores have gone way down hill and do not respect customers and I'm sure there staff ☹️

For those who care about humanity, consider this review. This place is the most unprofessional and low or no quality place that you will ever visit. For your kids or friends or ppl that you care about, this place has treated customers so poorly and they get away with it. There are multiple negative reviews and even reviews about ppl avoiding this place for a reason. Their staff constantly bully customers and get away with it. They sell counterfeit items knowingly. All their staff are horribly rude. the managers do nothing, esp beara, nini vhea, ella. They sell counterfeit items, they change prices and mark it up when that is not allowed, they take your 20% coupon that hasn't been used and say that you can't get another one even though they made the mistake, the manager asks to check your receipt when one has clearly paid, the stock ladies tell customers off and tell that they can't touch their carts even though this is not a rule, they insist that it is a rule and give you negativity because you touched their cart which by the way isn't their property. It isn't their cart or their shelf, however, they get away with saying things like this. You go to other value villages and this is not the case as the ladies at the other stores say that you can touch whatever you want. They don't return counterfeit items and or take any responsibiliy or accountabilty for their actions. Negative stars if possible. Then they project all of their mistakes and blame the customer. You are paying them for this treatment - let that sink in. This is the worst place ever. They let customers bully other customers and say that they can't do anything. Imagine if this was your kid, how would you feel if they were treated in such a toxic manner? This toxic cycle will keep going if you keep donating and supporting this organization who do not listen or apologize and treat paying customers this way. This is likely why there are so many complaints and bad reviews about this company. If you don't want this toxic cycle to continue, do not support this company by donating or purchasing as you are paying them to treat you poorly.

The worst customer service with no managers or anyone doing anything to help customers. Nini the manager does nothing. They sell counterfeit coach lv, Chanel, Gucci and other brands and this not legal and they get away with taking customers’ hard earned money from them you make complaints and no one does anything to make things better at all. The stock ladies who stock the purses are so rude they give all the bags to their friends and tell you not to touch when you pay for their salaries as without customers youn don’t have a business, the Philippine stock lady who stocks the krichenware is even worse as she tells you not to put things on her shelf when it really isn’t her shelf and you remove it afterwards. She is just being rude for no reasons. They are bullying customers and getting away with it. Otherwise it is the European guy wearing black or the Philippino lady with her kid that bully you and treat you like crap for nothing. It is a horrible way to treat customers who are paying for your salaries . Listen to what is said as you are bullying ppl and being rude because you are so miserable with your own lives .also they gaslight your experience and shove it under the rug with selling counterfeit items and don’t address the racism and hate that is displayed by their staff and just say that the staff are doing their job and side with them when in reality they are being unfair to the ppl that are paying their salaries. All of their staff are horrible, the lady with the glasses Philippino at the case, the white elderly lady, the Indian guy, , vhea…horrible attitude, the young white girl ella, the list goes on even their security are horrible they let the homeless ppl steal and for paying customers they use their value village manager power to see your receipt. As others have mentioned do not support this organization by shopping or giving items to them for free for them to mark it right up and be unfair to customers horrible
Place with a toxic atmosphere which will in some way bring you down with them as they are miserable that they have to use their power to bully you

How can you support a place that mistreats their paying customers this way? Even the store manager beara does nothing

There is a philliipno lady with her child that comes every afternoon during the weekdays around 2pm to wait for the new bags. She ties her hair in a ponytail and also has brown or black glasses. She is mean to other customers and today she was taunting another customers Ella has been notified on another occasion though she wasn’t there today. This lady makes friends with the pjillipino bag lady and the employee lets her take bags from the rack and then yells at everyone else and then had this white lady there to bring her alongside which is so rude. You wouldn’t have customers if they don’t buy your things and this has been a huge complaint that nothing has been done. Fix this asap it is so rude and bullying other customers is unacceptable.at the Richmond bc location nothing is done

THE VALUE VILLAGE PEOPLE ARE OUTRIGHT CROOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They charge more for certain items than you can purchase them new at Costco or Winners etc....
GO ELSEWHRERE....They LOST MY BUSINESS

If I could give a minus zero, I would.
Horrible customer service. We went to pay for an untagged skirt, took an IDENTICAL one which was tagged at $8.49. They refused to give it to us at the same price stating it was different and more similar to the $11.49 skirt in our trolley. They said we could take it at 11.49, and that skirt was totally different to the untagged one we were buying.
The supervisor was rude, being a racist in talking to us. Had we been "white" she would have been totally different in her approach.
Please get trained on customer service in knowing if there are two identical items they should be priced the same. And if they are different, you cannot charge the higher price from a totally different item. You go with the closest item and lower price.
Supervisor needs to get her act together and come down from her " high-horse."
I will never shop there again.

I shop at VV in West Kelowna BC
I shop fpr clients and shutins
They will nort and do not have a till open for those not
wishing to use the self checkouts!
If this does not change I will be spending my money elsewhere!!!!!!

Please do not shop at this corporation, especially 481 Bloor Street West! You can clearly see that the management bully the employees and speak to them in a condescending tone, they don’t try and hide it on the shop floor, I even saw an employee crying during my hour there! So who knows how they are treated behind the scenes.

I wanted to speak to a manager and was told by a male employee name tag said Jason, that management are in a meeting and can speak to me soon and told me to wait by the door. When I asked how long will I be waiting, he sniggered at me and walked off laughing at me, then kept sniggering at me the entire time I stood there. I was left waiting for an hour and no manager came to see me.

Reviews
Value Village

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pumkin pie
5 reviews
If you just want to get rid of your stuff quickly, they have open arms. But if you’re looking to buy secondhand at a fair price, good luck!—most things are overpriced, basically a ripoff. They take donations from people and then jack up the … More

Scott Carswell
Local Guide·50 reviews·5 photos
2 weeks ago
New
You're the best. (From my 6yo son.)

Why are people crying about a public company profiting? Value village allows … More

Sanna Mervyn
Local Guide·27 reviews·24 photos
4 months ago
Staff is friendly and donation process was easy. Selection is limited, a lot of the houseware and kitchenware is very beat up but I still found a few things
Photo 1 in review by Sanna Mervyn
Photo 2 in review by Sanna Mervyn
Photo 3 in review by Sanna Mervyn

Marina P Soriano Realtor
13 reviews
2 weeks ago
New
I am always cleaning up and clearing out. I just found out that VV has a drive up and drop off. They will take your box out of the trunk no work at all on my part. The nice thing is the donations go toward the kidney foundation as this is the cause they support.

Reviews
Value Village

Google review summary
5
4
3
2
1
4.0
(1,840)
Reviews
All
donate64
deals43
brand37
organized33
+6
Sort by
Most relevant
Newest
Highest
Lowest

pumkin pie
5 reviews
If you just want to get rid of your stuff quickly, they have open arms. But if you’re looking to buy secondhand at a fair price, good luck!—most things are overpriced, basically a ripoff. They take donations from people and then jack up the … More

Scott Carswell
Local Guide·50 reviews·5 photos
2 weeks ago
New
You're the best. (From my 6yo son.)

Why are people crying about a public company profiting? Value village allows … More

Sanna Mervyn
Local Guide·27 reviews·24 photos
4 months ago
Staff is friendly and donation process was easy. Selection is limited, a lot of the houseware and kitchenware is very beat up but I still found a few things
Photo 1 in review by Sanna Mervyn
Photo 2 in review by Sanna Mervyn
Photo 3 in review by Sanna Mervyn

Marina P Soriano Realtor
13 reviews
2 weeks ago
New
I am always cleaning up and clearing out. I just found out that VV has a drive up and drop off. They will take your box out of the trunk no work at all on my part. The nice thing is the donations go toward the kidney foundation as this is the cause they support.
pumkin pie
5 reviews
just now
New
If you just want to get rid of your stuff quickly, they have open arms. But if you’re looking to buy secondhand at a fair price, good luck!—most things are overpriced, basically a ripoff. They take donations from people and then jack up the prices.

And that 20% off coupon they give you for donating? If you need to exchange something, they take it back. Of course no returns or refunds—only exchanges.

So when you swap for a different item, you end up paying full price. They took your donation, but the discount? Gone. Just disappeared. They take away your discount.

People, plase go to Goodwill or Salvation Army instead.

Value Village used to be one of my favourite thrift stores to shop at. Now when you walk in one of their stores they are messy, you can't find anyone to answer a question or find a price, there are no change rooms and the return system is awful. By the time I get to the check out I'm already frustrated. Then you have to do the check out yourself and the staff that IS there try to rush you through or there isn't a staff member in sight to finally get a price on the article you've been wanting to purchase. So disappointed in this store and I will not be shopping at any Value Village in any location. Listen to your customers and maybe you can save this company...not for me.

This is for the Niagara Falls location. If your employees are going to rush people at self checkout then what's the point of having it? they can do the damn job themselves. I was doing completely fine checking out until two of your employees ask if Im ok or if i needed help. The first time i said I'm fine. I'm at self checkout what can you even help me with? just completely rushing me to check out faster. They had me in such a panick I almost left and forgot to pay for my stuff. Get rid of the damn self checkouts if customers are going to be harrassed to hurry up geez.

Manager at Value Village Guelph was obnoxious to my brother, who wanted to pay cash at the till. As a result, that store has lost 5 customers in my family. We spend thousands a year among the five us at Value Village. My brother himself spends thousands there as well, and now refuses to go back. We support him. Only store chain that repeatedly abuses its customers.

I have photos of a French coffee press that retails with 7.99 dollars at Ikea, for sale at Value Village used and partially rusted for 9.99 :(

The service here is sub par and the fact that there are no change rooms to try clothes on is ridiculous. The return policy is unacceptable as you can only exchange within 14 days, so how can you know for sure that the clothes are going to fit? Maybe undress in the aisles??? The prices of everything are too high. I will no longer shop there or donate anymore. The mission thrift store will be my go to place or fb marketplace or nothing at all. It's supposed to be cheaper than new items and this is not the case. Time to hire a new CEO and get on board with new policies!!!

Pricing is absolutely outrageous
For a thrift store store Value village isn't very thrifty seriously value village prices are often times as high as just buying brand new heck I can even find examples of times when the prices were even higher than brand new I have attempted to contact Value village about and while they have sent me a basic thanks for contacting us we take your feedback very seriously type response they have claimed to send me feedback to the correct department nobody has ever made any attempt to contact me nor has anything changed there prices are still way to high to be considered reasonable. It's very common to walk into their store and find items priced basically the same as buying the same item brand new the only thing is this item is used new item prices for used stuff

This is a great busniess concept these folks run . Because of the popularity of Goodwill and the Salvation Army these people made the company look like an other not for proffit organization ! In reality people donate tons and tons of merchandise to them for free. They in turn take the items and price it out and place on the sales floor. Well guess what folks did you know they are a FOR PROFIT RETAILER! SO ALL THE STUFFBYOU COULD HAVE GIVEN TO THE Salvation Army, Goodwill or even W.I.N.S where they take what ever money is made to help the communities they are in! W.I.N.S stand for Women In Need Society which help women and chldren who are excaping a abusive home. The Goodwill hires majority of the staff from the Vast pool of talent that is left unreconized as they have a form of disability but so want to work and contrubute to society! And the Salvation Army doesnt need any explination on what they do as they are always on the front line when natural desasters happen. Ie half the province burning and town evaquated they are they to help as best as they can! Btw unconfirmed but if goods sit in value Village too long they are gotten rid of as it is no loss to them as they paid nothing for them!